Everyone can relax because Harry Potter does not have Coronavirus

Accio truth! Actor Daniel Radcliffe may have been surprised to wake up this week feeling healthy. The actor was targeted in a Twitter hoax that dubbed him the first celebrity to have a confirmed case of Coronavirus. The Harry Potter and not-so Deathly Hallows star was quickly cleared of the COVID-19 virus by his publicist, but not before the story went viral.Misinformation about the virus has become synonymous with the COVID-19, so it seems fitting that the first celebrity case had no ounce of truth to it. The rumour began on Twitter (of course) when a fake BBC account announced that Radcliffe had tested positive for Coronavirus. The account @BBCNewsTonight used the BBC logo in its profile picture and linked to a BBC News Alert Page, but the account had not been updated since 2017, did not have a verified symbol next to its name, and only counted 125 follows. So, obviously fake, right? Unfortunately, a few reporters amplified the tweet, causing the story to grow.[video_embed id='1919302']RELATED: New York sets up COVID-19 'containment zone'[/video_embed]As noted by BuzzFeed, one of their news reporters reported the account as fake and the tweet as a hoax, but Twitter’s new plug-ins allow users to hide replies, which @BBCNewsTonight did. A New York Times reporter and Politico editorial director shared the tweet, later apologizing on their personal Twitter accounts once they realized the story was a hoax. The original tweet was retweeted 700 times before Twitter removed the message and suspended the account. Radcliffe’s reps told The New York Post that rumours of the actor having Coronavirus are “not true.”

Fake BBC account with 125 followers fake-infected Daniel Radcliffe with covid-19.

Link resolves to a genuine BBC news alert page that hasn't been updated since 2017. pic.twitter.com/vJk3gBEtQj— Jane Lytvynenko ??♀️??♀️??♀️ (@JaneLytv) March 10, 2020

BuzzFeed reported that they contacted the group behind the fake Twitter account, who said that they have been spreading online hoaxes since 2016. The group claimed they tweeted made up stories for their own personal entertainment and as way to teach people to not believe everything they read online. This is why we can’t have nice things.While it’s reassuring to find out anyone, including a celebrity, does not have Coronavirus, the hoax is yet another example of misinformation about COVID-19 spreading online and causing panic. As the virus continues to affect a growing number of countries, sharing only verified, critical information is more important than ever.On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal government would be putting more than $1 billion towards efforts to ‘combat and mitigate’ the outbreak of Coronavirus in Canada. Trudeau confirmed that funding would go towards researching a cure for the COVID-19, helping provinces stockpile the necessary medical resources should more Canadians become infected, and waiving the waiting period for Canadians who are in quarantine and require employment insurance assistance. "We are pulling out all the stops to make sure Canadians stay safe, healthy, and supported," Trudeau said during an appearance on Parliament Hill. "We will get through what comes next together.”[video_embed id='1917829']BEFORE YOU GO: How to do a full-body workout using just one dumbbell [/video_embed]